Smithville bank robbed Tuesday

SMITHVILLE – A 21-year-old woman was in the Monroe County Jail on Tuesday night after allegedly robbing a Smithville bank.
According to Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell, the Renasant bank was robbed shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday. Later that night, two people were in custody and one faced charges.
Johnica Williams, formerly of Memphis and currently residing in Tupelo and Fulton, was charged with armed robbery. During the alleged robbery, Williams was dressed as a man.
“No one was hurt. The (robber) came in, gave the lady a note demanding money,” Cantrell said. “The note said ‘give me the money. I am armed.’ ”
Cantrell said the robber never showed a weapon, but the bank employee was sure there was one. The female robber – who was initially thought to be a man – asked for the demand note back before she left and was in the bank for a total of three to four minutes, Cantrell said.
Cantrell said K9 units combed the area after the incident. He said after nearby law enforcement agencies were notified, a vehicle suspected in the reported robbery was found at East Main Pawn Shop in Tupelo.
“It was because of good communications that we were able to solve this case,” Cantrell said.
Two clerks were inside the branch at the time.
The branch is a temporary office, reopened in May, about a month after the deadly tornado ripped through Smithville in April.
As a precaution after the robbery, Monroe County School District Superintendent Scott Cantrell said Smithville school was locked down around 11:30 a.m., shortly after the incident.
The bank branch also was robbed in 2006.